1. List ten non-obvious assumptions about your target customers (or organizations) that you need to validate.

1. The first non-obvious assumption about women of the co-op is that they will want to run their own enterprises and learn how to use the recycling machines
2. The second non-obvious assumption about the target customers is that these women will be allowed to come and work on the project (may not be permitted by husband or may have obligations in the home).
3. The third non-obvious assumption about the target customers is that they will be able to learn the machinery and sales information in the short amount of time the team is on the ground.
4. The fourth non-obvious assumption about the target customers is that they will be able to sustain the machine system and business practices once the team has come home.
5. The fifth non-obvious assumption is that these women do not have any other form of work to turn to, and that they desire the financial support we are attempting to offer them.
6. The sixth non-obvious assumption is that these women have little practice working with entrepreneurial ventures before the plastics selling.
7. The seventh non-obvious assumption is that there will be a market to demand the products that the women are making through the recycling.
8. The eighth assumption is these women will be able to understand the messages the team tries to communicate with them.
9. The ninth assumption is that these women lack formal education, or that they could not work a more demanding job than this one.
10. The tenth assumption about our target-customers is

 

2. List ten hypotheses about your project that you need to test during fieldwork.

1. One hypothesis about our project is that it will specially for in the designated room which we have to run the machines in.
2. Another hypothesis about the project is that the temperatures of the room in the Philippines will be as suitable for melting and creating the products as the conditions being worked under in the US.
3. If we give women these machines, then they will be able to use them how they are planned to be run.
4. If these women are able to create products with recycled materials, then there will be a strong market demand for them.
5. If the team travels to the Philippines to implement the machinery, then they will be able to get them running.
6. Another hypothesis about the project that will need to be tested in the field is how quickly and efficiently the women can create each of the products in completion.
7. Another hypothesis about the project that needs to be tested during fieldwork is how many women at once can be working to create one product.
8. Another hypothesis about the project will be the efficiency of the seminars being run in the Philippines.
9. If the women need further assistance later down the line, then they will be able to get back in contact with the group successfully.

3. What do you think you bring to your team? How has your perception of your own strengths and weaknesses changed over the course of the class? Please be specific.

 

To the team, I bring a strong sense of determination. To me, this comes into play whenever I get my mind set on a goal which I want to accomplish. When joining this project, there was no doubt in my mind that all the collaborators will pull this off, or that we will see success in July in the Philippines with creating a sustainable and well-run system. This being said, this is both a strength and a weakness. The strength lies whenever barriers may arise, and my determination ensures i pursue every path possible to try and find a resolution, or a new way to view the issue that can find a way around it. I also ensure that all team members have roles delegates and that expectations are laid out before hand. For presentations for the project, I like to know that everyone is clear on what they will be bringing to the table, as well as what is expected of them overall. The weakness, however, is that sometimes this determination can make me stubborn, or can rub off the wrong way to people. Especially with teamwork, if others are not pulling their weight or seem to not be caring, I am very transparent and push everyone to do their best job. This perfectionism needs to be rained in sometimes, to prioritize what is worthwhile putting energy towards and what can be foregon for the sake of efficiency.

 

Over the course of the class, I have changed my perspective on my strength in communication. Previously, I believed that I was a very open communicator, and that I was comfortable communicating with mostly anyone. However, after having to reach out to close to twenty MFIs and Co-Ops in the Philippines to tell them about our project and request potential partnership, I learned that I am timid around unknown situations or people of higher power. Along the same lines, I realized I needed to not procrastinate responding to emails, as time lags can be precious when working on strict deadlines or keeping conversation momentum going.

Additionally, over the course of the class, my perspectives have also changed on what I had previously believed to be a weakness, is my skills as a researcher. Prior to this, I did not believe I was that strong as being able to research information and find helpful resources to gain information from. However, this class has helped me to greatly improve my ability and application of looking for valid and relevant sources online. For example, each week we come in to present on topics we find impactful to the project, and I have had to find cultural background, Microfinance Organizations, and geographic and economic data on the Philippines. Through this, I have been able to adapt my skills at navigating through various searches and data to pull the most and most telling information, to articulate the main points and perspectives to a wider audience.